"•KSHT TIST,
FLIGHT International, 21 September 1967 471
Civil Super Sabre Said to be the first fully supersonic aircraft ever to appear on the
US register, this North American F-/00D is owned by Flight Test Research, of Long beach,
Calif, and is rented to manufacturers wanting to test new equipment. As the US Government
will not sell offensive military aircraft to private operators, the F-IOOD was bought from an
un-named European Government
the face of, not the Soviet missile threat,
but the far more "simple" but perhaps
more frightening threat of Chinese mis-
sile attack in the early seventies. US
intelligence sources expect China to have
a rocket nuclear-delivery system within
four to seven years.
Congress has already voted $534 mil-
lion for development of the Nike X
ABM system, which is based upon Spar-
tan long-range and Sprint short-range
defensive missiles, and is in the process
of voting further sums. The "thin" sys-
tem is expected to be spread to give a
measure of defence to the US generally,
rather than being concentrated around
specific cities and military installations.
At its "thinnest" it is expected to cost
between $3,500 million and $5,000 mil-
lion (£l,250-£l,785 million) and be
ready in about seven years. The cost
of a full system to defend against
potential Soviet attack is put at about
$40,000 million (£14,280 million)—an
expenditure which the US Government
is desperately hoping diplomacy can
avoid.
HSD Managing Director
Mr G. C. I. Gardiner, CBE, FRAes,
MiMeehE, is to be managing director of
Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd from
October 1, succeeding Sir Aubrey Burke,
OBE, who remains deputy chairman. Mr
Gardiner, previously technical director
of the de Havilland Propeller Co, was
appointed director and general manager
of HSD on its formation in 1963.
Appeal for Imprisoned Pilots
A public appeal is being made by Mr
Ken Gregory in the hope of accelerat-
ing the release of the two pilots of his
company, Capt Trevor Copleston and
Capt David Taylor, imprisoned in
Algeria three months ago after the Air
Hanson HS.125 which they were flying
was hi-jacked and forced to land in
Algeria. Mr Gregory is appealing to
pilots and members of the aviation in-
dustry to demand through their MPs
that the Government should "carry out
its obligations to passport holders."
Tapping US Brainpower
Described by Mintech as "an important
event" in its programme "to go out and
get the American and British graduates
from the USA who are needed to man
Britain's expanding production indus-
tries," a new MSL (Management Selec-
tion Ltd) information and recruitment
centre opened in New York on Monday.
September 11, and received a message of
good wishes from the Minister of Tech-
nology, Mr Wedgwood Benn, who said:
"There has been a significant flow
of British engineers, scientists and
SENSOR
Air France remains in favour of a
twin-engine airbus. It is prepared to
be convinced of the case for a trijet,
but technical opinion in the airline is
that the twin is technically and com-
mercially better, and that a switch to
a trijet will run away with too much
development time.
One of the main competitive advan-
tages of the European airbus over the
Lockheed 1011 is the difference in
price. Airlines are being quoted
nearly $16 million (£5.7 million)
compared with $11 million (£4 million)
for the A-300.
Although BEA does not expect
compensation for the operating cost of
the Two-Eleven, which it calculates
will be 5 per cent cheaper per seat-
mile than the 727-200, the corporation
does expect cotnpensation for the four-
year period (1969-1972) in which it
will not be operating big jets.
Although Hawker Siddeley is close
to a decision on the HS.I36 jet feeder-
liner, technical alternatives between
the Hatfield and Chadderton design
offices still exist. The "Avro" design
team favours a version based on the 748
with rear engines, while Hatfield
prefers the underwing-engine layout.
HSA's final decision is likely to await
the outcome of BEA's possible Trident
3 order. HSA favours an all-British
136 project.
Beechcraft's Model 99 18-seat turbo-
prop twin selling for $350,000 in the
USA, and for £145,000 in Britain fully
equipped, is being closely studied by
most British independent airlines for
provincial scheduled services. Eagle
Airport Services Ltd hold distri-
bution rights for the Model 99 which
Beechcraft will normally sell direct.
The first will reach Britain early next
year.
Aloha Airlines of Hawaii, already a
BAC One-Eleven operator, may be
the first customer for the Series 500
after BEA. The carrier's choice of new
aircraft now lies between the One-
Eleven 500 and the Boeing 737-200.
At least*two aircraft in a quick-change
configuration will be ordered.
The cancellation by Qantas of their
options on four Concordes is strongly
suspected in Australia, though the air-
line will not comment. The reasons
given for loss of enthusiasm are
increasing cost, reduced comfort for
passengers, and the wish to main-
tain fleet/manufacturer standardisation.
Qantas will obviously prefer not to
operate two types of SST unless this is
essential for competitive reasons.
College of Air Training aircraft re-
equipment plans come up for final
approval by the Board of Governors
this month, and orders for 12 light
twins and a considerable number of
single-engined basic trainers will be
announced within a month. The choice
of a twin lies between the Beagle
B.206-S and the Beechcraft C55 Baron,
and between the Beagle Pup-150 and
the Piper Cherokee 140 for the ab
initio trainer. Instructors of the College
are believed to favour the Baron,
though there is strong political pres-
sure to accept the B.206-S. The Pup-150
is likely to win favour, but evaluation
has so far been possible with only the
Pup-100 prototype. The first Pup-150
should be available for evaluation in a
few weeks' time. The prototype was
due to fly as this issue went to press.
Beagle Pup salesmen have now
received ITPs (intentions to purchase)
accounting for 82 aircraft.
Plans to extend Heathrow's central
terminal westward towards Perry Oaks
will involve the closing of Runway 6
(I5R/33L) and probably also Runway 7
(05L/23R). BOAC wants to build a new
terminal on Runway 6, but the idea of
individual airline terminals conflicts
with the British Airports Authority's
policy. V.
Saab's proposals to the RAF for an
anglicised version of the Viggen are
being carefully studied by the Ministry
of Technology, but the chances that it
will be adopted are remote. The
aircraft is being offered with either
RB.I53s or Olympus 22Rs.
The M45G engine is now dead. With
the cancellation of AFVG neither
Britain nor France has any application
for it. Contractual obligations on both
sides included penalties for pulling out
(even after cancellation of the aircraft)
but both countries were equally
willing to abandon the project.
Heathrow's railway station is likely
to be opened in time for summer
services in 1972, and conceivably 1971.